History shows us the unrelenting quest of mankind’s ingenuity and resolve when it comes to constructing grand buildings and then rebuilding them after disaster. The cathedral Frauenkirche, located in Munich, was severely damaged during WWII and was then restored. It was finally completed in 1994. In our own recent history, we saw the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City. In their place now stands One World Trade Center along with a monument of those who lost their lives on that tragic day. Of course, these are but two examples of man building extraordinary things, having some catastrophic event destroy them, only to replace it with something of equal grandeur. When we put our minds to it, no objective seems impossible.
Although the above is often true, it is not always that way. Have you ever had to start over again? It can be frustrating at times, especially when faced with obstacles. That was the case with God’s people long ago. God has “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) which would begin the process of God’s people returning to their homeland to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem after seventy years in bondage. This edict was given around 539-538 BC and fulfilled the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound, and the palace shall remain according to its own plan” (Jeremiah 30:18). The future looks bright, but the task before them will be filled with challenges. This is the story told in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Today, our focus is Haggai and his prophesy some 16 years after God’s people returned home. The task of rebuilding the temple has hit some snags.
“In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month,
the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest…” (Haggai 1:1)
It is important to remember that God’s people had been in Babylonian captivity for seventy years. Psalm 137:1 gives us insight into their thoughts at the time, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.” It is the year 536 BC and their captives have been defeated and the Persian king Cyrus releases them to go home to build their temple once again. Zerubbabel and Joshua are given the task to lead the way. When Haggai writes, it is now the year 520 BC, some sixteen years later and God’s people are very discouraged. What happened? Ezra 3:12 gives us some insight, “But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes.” Why? Haggai 2:3 explains further, “Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?” What they saw being rebuilt was but a shadow of what once was. Add to this the negative forces from those around them who wanted nothing more than to keep them from achieving their goal of rebuilding the temple. Ezra 4:4-5, “Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.” How discouraged did they get? Consider Haggai 1:2, “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, ‘The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.’” They threw their hands up and gave up. This is what discouragement does, even to God’s faithful remnant.
There is so much more to this story which I plan to consider next week. What I want us to see today is the stifling effect of discouragement. They came home with the noble goal of rebuilding the temple, and now find themselves not even close to accomplishing God’s desire and purpose for them. It is not that they did nothing, as we see in Haggai 1:4, 9, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?…You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.’” You see, their focus came to be what they wanted rather than what God desired. When it comes to God centered objectives, that is what discouragement can do, cause us to focus on self. Haggai’s job was to help God’s people refocus, get back on track, and pursue His desires for them once again. Richard Rogers puts it like this, “He would help them to see with the eyes of their heart rather than with the eyes of their head.” There is much we can learn from this challenging time in God’s people’s lives.
Biddeford Church of Christ 